Hollywood's Golden Runaway

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Facing away from the counter where Finn has gone to work alleviates some of the nerves that have taken permanent root in my stomach. Liam's fingertips dance over the top of my arm where his arm has rested around my shoulder. Sydney had bought a second round of drinks while I was outside and another mug of hot chocolate waited for me on the oak coffee table in front of me.

"We were just talking about Alex and T, seems that we've lost them to each other now," Brenna rolls her eyes, I give a pretty weak laugh, unable to muster the level of enthusiasm that's expected of me.

"Yeah, I think we brought that on ourselves," I remark before disappearing into my mug, cradling it between my palms. My comment opens the door for debate between my friends on how to proceed with the structural change to our friendship group that the couple have brought about through their newfound relationship. Liam turns to me.

His nose wrinkles at the bridge, a scowl sculpted into his forehead. He leans close. Cutting off the girls from his words.

"So, smoking now, are we?" The disapproval at his discovery is laced through his words and not subtly. I cannot bring myself to be upset by his accusations, the lack of feeling in my body makes an emptiness sweep through me. As he speaks, I look past his shoulder and my eyes find Finn, his head inclined as he focuses on brewing the number of drinks on order. He passes a coffee over to a waiting customer and the smile that graces his lips then makes my breath falter. As though he feels me watching him, he looks up and our eyes meet for the first time in five years. I jerk away from Liam's side, my wide eyes meeting his judging ones. My heart pounds furiously in my chest, so much so that I am quickly losing the ability to regulate my own breathing. My chest is tight. Each breath is laboured and painful. Liam picks up on the drastic change in my demeanour, "hey, relax, it's ok." His fingertips make contact with my burning forehead and brushes aside a damp lock of hair behind my ear.

"I'm fine," I lie. "I just need some fresh air." He opens his mouth to respond but before he is given the chance, the door to the cafe bursts open and the sounds of clamour fill my ears. Shouts of mine and the others' names are thrown about the poor coffee shop as we are bombarded by members of the paparazzi. We leap into action but fight fruitlessly against the tide towards the door. The pack of buzzards fight to be the loudest voice in the room, to get their question heard above that of their neighbour. They're so loud I can't make out one word from the other. Liam's arm is wrapped protectively around my shoulder, using his own body to forge a way through the wall of bodies.

Shouts and words blend into a cacophony of noise, my head is bent as I avoid the gazes and glares of the camera lenses. Only one yell rises above the rest.

"Miss Scott!" His face appears inches from my own as he forces his way between two sweating middle-aged men. His tanned skin burns at the cheeks and he shoves his hand out in the empty space between us. It takes my last scrap of energy to force the flashes of memories away from the forefront of my mind. While I hesitate, his eyes don't leave mine. I didn't have any surgery when I left. The only changes to my appearance are my shorter blonde locks and more mature facial features. Being this close to me, it would be so easy for him to just pick me out as Salem and bring my whole world crashing down around me, my friends, and the paparazzi dogs. An untraceable emotion flickers across his all-too familiar hazel eyes. Then he frowns, I guess the fear on my face was more obvious than I hoped.

No! My consciousness shouted from somewhere deep within my head with such a force my whole body is jolted forwards. Salem is simultaneously pushed to the depths of my head and Isabella takes the reins. Our hands clasp. Sparks. My other hand takes Liam's. The bridge is formed between two worlds. But before I can linger on the thought, Finn drags me through the wall of muscle. The chain of hands and arms extends to Brenna, taking up the rear of our makeshift convoy. Finn snakes his way behind the counter and towards a door at the back of the room. We pass breathlessly through shelves of various coffee appliances, machines and supplies, past a box of an office and straight into a fire exit. The door groans with the force of being opened so suddenly. I am swung around as Finn turns to hold open the door for everyone. My hand loses grip with Liam's as he tumbles through the doorway behind me.

"You can go straight down there and it'll take you right back to the main road. Man, this is crazy!" Finn laughs. Brenna and Sydney take off down the small alleyway like jackrabbits. Liam goes to take off after them, but stumbles when he sees that I've not moved. I've not taken my eyes off of Finn since I took his hand. And now as I watch his features as they light up with the hilarity of the situation my heart aches more than ever. If only he knew who is really stood by his side right now. Whose fingers are still entwined with his. He looks down to me, his hazel eyes sparkling with excitement. I try to take in every single detail of his face. Refreshing my memory of those I recognise and imprinting those I don't to the forefront of my mind. Savouring this last moment with him.

He picks up on my emotion and focus, hazel meeting brown once again, our gazes burning as I try to recognise him and he tries to recognise me. Or at least make sense of the curiosity behind our meeting beyond that of meeting Isabella Scott. Something close to recognition clicks in his mind and I am quick to break our gazes at that point. I faintly hear Liam's shout of my name and his hand latches onto my wrist as he tries to get me to escape with him. But I can't escape from this now that I've found him again.

Our hands part and cold air instantly rushes between the space made between us. I start to keep pace with Liam but I can't help the words that fall out at that moment.

"Thank you, Finn," I say into his eyes one last time before turning and running side by side with Liam. Running away from Finn Mulholland again.

***

Author's Note:

Hola Cariños,

It's ya gal and loving this summer freedom! I hope that you loved this, he's back now and how long will she able to avoid him? Better keep reading!

As always if you enjoyed this chapter please vote, comment and do all the socials,

Besitos,

- L